Pocket cigarette-making machine



July 4, 1944. AL N 2,352,99

POCKET CIGARETTE MAKING MACHINE Filed May 15, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

Juiy 4, 1944. M. ALLAND POCKET CIGARETTE MAKING MACHINE Filed May 15, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fqi9 IN VEN TOR.

Patented July 4, 1944 um'rao STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,352,999 POCKET CIGARETTE-MAKING Maurice Alland, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application May 15, 1942, Serial No. 443,064

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a cigarette making device in combination with a small box for ready cut tobacco and of a small enough size to readily fit within a mans pocket or a lady's pocketbook. The entire combination, in addition to the box of tobacco and the rolling or cigarette making machine, includes a paper moistener, a humidor for the stored tobacco, a package of matches, a stimulant holder, cigarette paper supply and a supply of mouth tips or snufiers. The device is complete in every respect for making high grade cigarettes with or without an incorporated stimulant, fancy tips or just plain ends, and/or with tips that can be employed as snuifers to smother the short stud or butt of the cigarette.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to present a handy pocket size unit that is capable of producing a complete cigarette in a quick and eflicient manner.

Another object is to provide a cigarette making device to be used by inexperienced cigarette makers, and which is constructed in a manner that any novice can easily manufacture high quality cigarettes under sanitary conditions.

A further object is to provide a cigarette making device that is simple and sturdy in construction, of small compact size, and economical to manufacture.

Other objects, advantages and features of my invention will appear from the accompanying drawings, the subjoined detailed description and the appended claims.

Applicant herein describes one of the forms of his invention in order to teach one how to make, use and vend the same, but it is to be understood that the drawings and description thereof are not to limit the invention in any sense whatsoever, except as defined by the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows the device of this invention in front elevation.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of Fig. 1.

Fig, 3 is a rear elevation of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a bottom view of Fig. 1, with both ends broken away to show the bottom arrangement of a humidor.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an inverted cross sectional view of the lid of a tobacco can showing the cigarette making elements thereon in a position to receive'a charge of cut tobacco. This view is shown on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 7 is another inverted cross sectional view similar to Fig. 6, but showing the elements there Fig. 10 is an elevational view of one end of a 4 moistener for wetting an edge of a cigarette paper, shown on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 11 is a side elevation of a completed cigarette.

Fig. 12 is a plan view of a blank for a tip piece for a cigarette.

Fig. 13 is a side elevational view of the ciga rette tip, with the cigarette stump enclosed, when it is'used as a snufier.

Fig. 14 shows a plan view of one of the guides and a shim behind same, part of the can being shown in broken section, and the whole figure being at a somewhat larger scale.

The reference character i indicates the vertical side wall of the tobacco can which is usually formed from a single sheet of metal having rounded ends 2 and 3. The bottom edge of the can is shown as closed but has the usual horizontal wall 6 having an upstanding flange 5 that snugly engages the lower edge portion of the side wall I to which it is fixed by crimping, soldering, etc. At the top of the can is shown the usual type of lid having a top wall 6 with a depending flange I that snugly engages the top edge of the wall i but is not fixed thereto except by the usual hinge portion 8 at the rear thereof.

The can is adapted to be almost filled with cut tobacco, the same being kept moist by the humidor 9 at the bottom thereof. This humidor comprises an inverted cup-like element Iii, preferably perforated, with its rim abutting the top surface of wall 4. This element is held to the bottom wall 4 by the bolt and nut II. Through the wall 4 are a plurality of holes I! which open into the humidor chamber l3 within the element Ill. Within this chamber I3 are a plurality of absorbent discs it which may be blotting paper or any other suitable material. A few drops of water can occasionally be fed to the humidor by inverting the closed tobacco can and applying the water through the holes I 2.

The front of the can has means for holding a stimulant container I5 which consists of a metal strap l6 which is integral with the outer casing ll of the container. In order to firmly hold the casing ll to the can, two rivets or bolts 18 and I! are employed. Within this casing is an open ended cylinder '26 in which isstored suitable material such as coffee and other kinds of mild stimulants or the iike. A knob extension 2| is provided integrally with the outer end of the cylinder so that the cylinder can easily be drawn from the casing i1. This knob also serves as a press for the tobacco at the ends of the finished cigarette, that is, a rammer to press loose tobacco in the end of the cigarette so as to prevent loose tobacco entering the mouth.

Below the stimulant container is a book of cigarette papers 22 and a book of cigarette mouth pieces and snuffers 23. The book of papers has a relatively still paper cover 24 bent into the usual U-shape, and the snufler book has a similar stiff cover 26 which is' also in a U-shape, as shown. At each end of the books is an angle element or a metal guide 26 fixed to the can which may have opposed grooves to receive the edge of the back flaps 24' and 26' of the two books. The guides 26 may be spot welded to the can or affixed thereto in any other suitable manner. Be-

tween the guides 26 and the can 3 are the shims 26a which may be paper so that the guides can lie evenly and be alined along the can walls. A weld spot 26 is shown along one edge of the guide. A rubber band 21, positioned as shown, holds the free flaps of the books snugly against the side of the can. The mouth pieces and snuflers of the book 23 are arranged therein for easy removal when desired. Each one of these mouth pieces and snuffers, for convenience they will hereafter be called tips, are preferably made of thin tin or lead foil. One of these tips is shown in developed view in Fig. 12 of the drawings. tip is indicated at 26 and is shownas having a rectangular end 26 and a corner clipped end 36 presenting biased edges 3| and 32 and a top edge 33. Glued to the edge 36 is a piece of Scotch tape 34 which has biased portions and 36 that are in alinement with the biased portions 3| and 32 respectively of the foil 26. The purpose of these biased edges is to prevent protruding ends when the foil or tips 26 are rolled upon the cigarette.

Fig. 11 shows a rolled cigarette 31 having one The of the tips 26 at the mouth end 36. Fig. 13' illustrates how the snufler featureof the tip functions when the cigarette is smoked down to a butt, the ash or burning end being indicated at 66. When it is desired to snuff a cigarette, whether a short butt or not, say. for instance, when the cigarette 31 (Fig. 11) has burned to the linez:-:r, the end 26' of the tip 26 is slid in the direction of the arrow to about the position of line a-a and the end 26'.squeezed together to smother the fire, see Fig. 13. This feature is not only a fire preventer in homes and factories, but also in dry forests and brush districts.

The back of the can or tobacco box has secured thereto a pair of spaced apart parallel bands'or strips 46 and 4| which are slightly spaced from the can to allow the insertion of the back flap 42 of an ordinary book of matches.

The ends of the bands are fixed to the can by small rivets or bolts 44.

One of the most important parts of the invention is the cigarette rolling and paper moistener unit 46, note in particular the enlarged views of Figs. 6-10. This unit comprises a base or main support having a plate .46 with upstanding integral end flanges or standards 41 and 46. This base is preferably metal, but may be plastic material, and which is welded, riveted, bolted or cemented to the inner surface of the can top 6.

the flanges is a sleeve roller 64 that rides on the pin, the bore of the roller being of greater diameter than the pin. Another axle pin 66 is provided which is adapted to ride along the slots 66, 6| and 62 of the flanges, the pin having side extensions with knobs 66 to make it easy for the operator to shift the pin 56 along the slots.

A sleeve roller 61 is provided along the pin 66 which is-free rolling thereon and adapted to be shifted with the pin 66. An endess belt 66 of resilient material, such as rubber, is linked around the rollers 64 and 61 as shown. This belt is slightly wider than the space between the flanges 41 and 46 so that its edges snugly engage the inner surfaces of the flanges at all times; the 1.

width of the belt, however, is not enough to cause any bulging thereof between the two flanges.

A side flange or upturned edge is provided at 66 which is an integral part of the plate 46, and the endsof this flange have been cut away as shown in Fig. 9. This flange 66 is a holder for the paper moistener indicated at 66. The moistener comprises a perforated metal strip having a central inverted U-shaped portion 6| and side return flanges 62 and 63. An absorbent material 64, such as blotting paper, felt, velvet and the like, is folded to an inverted U-shape and positioned over the central portion 6|,gone margin of the absorbent being squeezed or clamped between the side flange 62 and the'portion 6| and the other margin being clamped between the side flange 63 and portion 6|. The central portion 6| is resilient and its bottom part sprung so that it will close when removed from the flange 66; this makes a good friction flt between the moistener and the flange 66. So that the moistener can be easily removed, the side flange 63 thereof has an extension 66 at each end thereof, the edges of which are rough enough, note 66, so that the operator's fingernail can catch same and the moistener removed. The moistener is wetted by simply removing it and placing it in a glass of water or under a spigot.

Operation The can or box of tobacco is opened and the cigarette desired. If a very stout cigarette is desired, as much tobacco is placed upon the belt as will allow the roller 61 to be shifted to the lower slot 62 without risking injury to the apparatus; After the tobacco is placed on the belt, the roller 61 is shifted to the slot 62 and the tobacco rolled several times by running the thumb downwardly over the roller 64, note Fig. 7. After the loose tobacco is formed into a round her, the ungrgied end of the cigarette paper 61 is inserted as own in Fig. 7 while downw t the roller 64 in the direction indica f 5: 1 :28 the glued end of the paper enters the belt, said end T is bent back, as shown in dotted lines at 66, and

the glue 69 wetted by the moistener through the paper. The rolling operation is then continued until the cigarette is completely formed. If it is desired to provide the cigarette with a tin foil tip, which becomes a mouth piece and snufier, the squared end 29 of the foil 28 is inserted in about the middle portion of the rollers, or any position between the two flanges 41 and 48, like the cigarette paper was inserted,.and the rolling operation resumed until the Scotch tape" 34 seals same.

The cigarette, with or without a tip formed thereon, is removed from the apparatus by shifting the roller '51 back to the position shown in Fig. 6, and the roller 54 is again rotated in the same direction as the arrow indicates. This operation will deliver the completed cigarette above the rollers where it can be easily removed by the fingers. If one of the tips 28 is wrapped around the central portion of the cigarette, it may he slid, by the fingers, over to the position shown inFig. 11.

Note that the front roller or cylinder 54 has a bore or diameter much greater than its bearing pin; the purpose of this feature is so that this front roller will move away from the rear roller 51 when the tobacco is being inserted into the pocket of the belt. This front roller also will move toward the rear roller when the rolling operation is taking place so as to better compact factory-made cigarettes.

If the operator desires tomake a cigarette that is treated, a small bit of the stimulant is removed from the container 20 and mixed with the loose tobacco on the belt before it is rolled.

The structure disclosed provides all the essentials for making and lighting a cigarette which the loose'tobacco and also grasp the edge of the,

may be provided with a tip or without a tip. The combination is complete in every respect and the size thereof is small enough to flt a man's pocket or ladys pocketbook.

Having thus described my invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A cigarette rolling device. having spaced apart flanges, each flange having a slot, a bearing pin having its ends journalled in the slots and adapted to move along the slots,- another bearing pin having its ends supported in the flanges and immovable relative thereto, a-cylinder on each pin and adapted to rotate on its respective pin, one of the cylinders having a. bore of much greater diameter than its respective pin so as to allow it to be displaced radially relative to said pin and assume positions out of parallelism with said pin, and an endless belt linked to the cylinders and adapted to form an elongated pocket for tobacco to be rolled therein.

2. In a tobacco container having a lid hinged thereto, a cigarette rolling device fixed to the underside of the lid and adapted to enter the container when the lid is closed thereon, said device having end flanges extending from the underside of the lid, each of the flanges having a J-shaped slot arranged opposite one another with the long portion thereof close to and parallel with the top edge of the flange when the lid is open, a small diameter roller having its ends joumalled in the slots, a small diameter pin having its ends fixed to the upper portion of the flanges, a large diameter cylindrical sleeve loosely mounted upon the pin so as to allow it to be displaced relative to said pin and assume positions out of parallelism with said small diameter pin and revolvable thereon; and an endless belt coupled to the small diameter roller and the sleeve and looped to form a pocket for tobacco.

MAURICE ALI-AND. 

